Alcohol Dripping on Open Wounds
by Dying With A Smile
Summary: Take the medicine and wait for the sting; healing takes time. Presume Character Death. Alice Wars. Fatal Trust and Love. NxM


**Title: **Alcohol Dripping on Open Wounds  
**Author: **Etsuko O. Daikama

**Rating: **T  
**Category: **Drama/Romance (Hopefully, there will be some adventure)  
**Pairing(s): **NxM; side pairings will most likely be added

**Disclaimer: **The day I become a chimera (which would be a milestone in my life) I still would not own Gakuen Alice. Dang it, I'll have goat hands then. - OR - Even when my days are cold or when my days grow old. Even if I threaten Tachibana with my malice, I would still not own Gakuen Alice.  
**Summary: **Take the medicine and wait for the sting; healing takes time. Presume Character Death. Alice Wars. Fatal Trust and Love. NxM

**Notes: **May contain OOCness. If story opens any wounds, apologies will be thrown.

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_Chapter I - Nearly Done with Healing_

A sweet vanilla aroma was swaying in the air, circling the interior of the building, letting everyone smell its charming scent. The building was rarely crowded and today happened to be a commonly almost empty building. Only a couple of people were there, chatting and taking a few quick swigs from their mugs. Their berry-flavored muffins that were on a plate in front of them had a couple of bites and a plastic fork beside the plate, on an unused napkin.

Tables were cleaned over four times in a row and the chairs were neatly arranged. The windows were sparkly clean that it almost seems like there were none. The floor was swept and mopped that you can see your reflection perfectly. The rugs that placed in specific areas were completely vacuumed; not a speck of dirt was in it nor on it. That's because the employees were in the back, desperately trying to find something interesting to do.

So they thought cleaning would entertain them for a bit; it didn't even give them a hint of help. They can see perfectly that the floor was clean and the windows were shining and the tables were fine--they're just _really_ desperate to find something.

The sun was peeking in through the almost non-existent windows, giving everyone in there to see its radiant smile. People walked down the sidewalks, too busy hasting down the street to get where they're needed. Cars seemed to go slower than usual, considering the terrible traffic day. Tuesdays were the worst in the big city that had a population over ten thousand people.

The cafe was decorated beautifully in the interior. One wall had the windows, letting people peek in and out of the building. Two walls that were across from each other were painted a deep, chocolate brown; a color to soothe you down. Only one wall was painted with a bold color of orange and that wall was where the counter was at. The lights were lined in a black, metallic rod and every six inches, there was a light bulb there, a place it was given to shine.

Two feminine adults were in the back of the small cafe, trying to making their small television work. They kept receiving static and they did not want that. So one was hitting the television over and over, hoping that it will work out that way while the other one watched them try their hardest to make it work; amusingly entertained.

When the female adult that was hitting the television with her fist was tired, the one who was watching got up from her seat and tried it out herself. She made a fist and hit the television, making it fly across the room and hit the wall. The television was now broken and pieces of the vitals that belong to the television was now detached; the pieces were scattered around the television and there was a small dent in the wall, evidence of the collision.

The two females glanced at each other and looked back at the television. They both started walking to the utility closet and grabbed a broom with its compatible friend, the dust pan. One took hold of the broom and the other grabbed the television, heaving it upward to their chest to walk to the back door with complications.

The television dropped some other vital pieces from the bottom and made a trail that led to the back door. That was more work for the adult that was sweeping; but at least they got to do something. Earlier, they were undoubtedly desperate.

The back door was opened and closed, revealing the girl that had to heave the television into the garbage that was sitting in the back. She looked down and saw a trail of technological pieces, curving a corner where it led to her co-worker with a broom. The physically matured girl walked beside the trail and saw her co-worker sweeping the pieces into a pile.

"I'm sorry, Anna, but I made a trail that leads to the back door," the girl apologized and bowed. She lifted her upper body to where it was standing up straight again. She glanced at the wall clock that was hanging peacefully, tick-tocking its day away. She read the time and noted back to her co-worker. "It's almost Mikan-chan's shift; I still can't believe she doesn't act as equally cheerfully when she left the school without some one."

Anna peeked up from sweeping pile and saw her dearest friend, Nonoko, looking directly at her. Anna replied, "Don't you feel the same?" A frown was pasted on her usually cheery face. "That some one was close to us also, not as much as Mikan was, but still."

Nonoko nodded and slipped the broom from Anna's fingertips and gripped it into her palm. She started sweeping the trail of the pieces that belonged to the television and started making a pile into it. It wasn't as big as Anna's was but it was close enough. Anna grabbed the dust pan and walked over to Nonoko silently, with the same frown on her face. She must be thinking of that some one too. She squatted down until the dust pan's tip touched the ground.

The brunette that had completely straight hair, swept the pieces into the dust pan, collecting small crumbs with it also. Anna held on tightly to the dust pan, aware of how much strength Nonoko could use when she's sweeping garbage into a dust pan. When Nonoko was finished sweeping into the dust pan, Anna walked over to a small trash can that was almost filled and dumped the contents of the broken television into the can.

A bell rung near the entry of the cafe and in came a rushing auburn-haired girl with curly tips. Her hair was let down to sway with the breeze that was formed outside, her chocolate-brown eyes matched perfectly with the painted walls inside the cafe. She rushed to the back of the building, seeing Anna and Nonoko sweep up the mess they've made. She asked with a breathless tone, "Am I late?"

Nonoko glanced over to the wall clock and read its time. She shook her head and replied, "Nope. You're actually five minutes early."

The auburn-haired girl sighed in relief and staggered over to a vacant chair. She sat down on it and slouched peacefully; she tried to catch her breath on the chair and gave Anna and Nonoko a side way glance. She looked back at the counter, thinking their television was still there. When she saw none, she questioned, "What happened to our TV?"

Anna and Nonoko looked over to the girl that was sitting down in a chair. Anna replied, "It was broken." ...You mean, it was completely destroyed by two innocent girls and their amazingly strong fists. Seriously, their fists were amazingly strong if one just punched it across the room and made a dent in the wall.

"Mikan-chan," Nonoko called out. Mikan twisted her head to look over at Nonoko, who caught her attention for a short amount of time. "Are you still... sad that you lost that some one?" A frown quickly grew on Mikan's face; the girl turned her head away, not wanting to look at Nonoko.

"I try not to," Mikan answered. She bent her legs till her knees were pointing in the air; she placed her chin on her knees and stared blankly at the wall. She was already thinking of the death of a close one. It was a devastating message for her to hear after the war was over.

_"I'm sorry, Ms. Sakura," a teacher said to Mikan. "But we cannot locate your friend; we assume your dear friend is dead."_

_Hearing the message and replaying it again caused her grief. She could already taste the salty tears that were rolling down her cheeks. She replayed the message over and over, giving herself a headache to hear such a message._

Mikan dug her head into her legs, not wanting to show Nonoko and Anna that she was crying. Just when her wounds were nearly done with healing, they were opened once again; exposing the red flesh that was inside her body.

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**A/N:** Yes, this was very short. I'm aware. I'm planning to make my chapters longer than this. For some reason, I felt this chapter needed to be short. Anyway, I guess you guys know who already died--I'm sorry! D8 I didn't mean to. It was just in my head and I couldn't let go of the thought.

Anyway, I hope this is OK or something. I tried to write this more detailed and everything (I failed at making it long D8). This story is supposed to be practice at improving my writing skills. I just want to know from you guys if I am improving or not or if I need to work on it more.

- Etsuko O. Daikama


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